Between the Raindrops
by HepburnJunkie22
Summary: This is the fourth and final part to my series, please read the first three for this to make sense. Sequel to That Way Again, Hard to Love, and Never Stop.


_**Ok guys, here concludes a four part series that I have loved to write and explore. In my personal opinion I believe this series has helped me grow tremendously as a writer, as well as all the support from you guys, the readers! Again thank you so much for reading...I'm not sure what I'll be doing next, but stay tuned!**_

_**The song that inspired me for this final part was "Between the Raindrops," by Lifehouse...phenomenal song!**_

_**PS: I do not own the characters, only the story ;)**_

* * *

The count was officially one week…one week since Sharon had last seen or heard from Andy. Four days since she had broken down in front of Brenda in her office, the blonde had continually called and sent text messages to Sharon but she refused to answer them. She was still so embarrassed and if she was being honest, didn't know quite what to say to Brenda…the events of the last few months had left her speechless.

Sharon scooted backwards on the deck chair so that she was flush against the backrest, gently drawing Andy's old academy sweatshirt down around her knees to ward off the early evening chill. This seemed to be her place to contemplate certain things as of late, the sunset providing her with a peaceful backdrop in her otherwise upside down life. The house was too stifling, too many memories…reminders everywhere she looked, glaring at her what seemed accusingly. Not to mention the broody and miserable teenager that was currently holed up in her room; Sharon couldn't take it anymore.

Chloe wasn't due home for another hour, plenty of time for the older woman to turn introspective. She sighed as she felt the cool breeze again, lifting the tendrils of hair that escaped her messy bun away from her face briefly. When she opened her eyes she drew her knees closer to her chest, looping her arms around them effortlessly. She stared across the yard, barely registering the green of the grass or the splashes of color that the potted plants provided.

She was remembering the first year of their marriage and how she had hated the tiny duplex they rented, the only reason being that they had no yard. Sure it was easy enough to take care of for a couple that was never there, but on the days she was home Sharon had wanted somewhere to sit and enjoy the sunshine. Maybe even plants for her to tend to, giving her some sense of purpose outside that of the LAPD. Sharon was a nature girl at heart; she loved being outdoors as a child, which only grew into a deeper appreciation as she aged.

They would talk about it at night as they lay in their bed in the silent house, what exactly they would look for if and when they decided to purchase one of their own. Andy wanted a well furnished and spacious kitchen…all Sharon wanted was a yard, a place for their future children to play and grow. She wanted to be able to come home after work and run barefoot on the grass or lay on her back at night counting the stars.

It was two years into their marriage when they decided to start looking. They were ready to make a home for themselves and possibly someone else; starting a family had seemed the next natural step as well. They had so many different offers, so many different scheduled tours, but none seemed to match their standards. They didn't feel like the right homes to the couple and so they continued to live in the tiny duplex, hoping the next week would bring their house…and maybe the baby they had been hoping for. Weeks turned into months, and then months into a year…then two and still nothing. Sharon and Andy had begun to loose hope…it just seemed impossible to find what they wanted in a house.

Sharon's inability to get pregnant also weighed heavily on their minds, they had been to see her obstetrician as well as two other specialists, and none could explain it. For all intents and purposes she was in perfect health; all tests, for her and Andy, came back regular…she had even tried changing her diet.

_Give it time_, her doctor had instructed, _sometimes you're just not ready_.

By the fourth year of their marriage they had stopping giving getting pregnant any thought, much like the purchase of their house, if it happened…well it happened.

* * *

_20 years earlier…_

_ Andy let himself into the duplex, dropping his keys and wallet on the hall table, toeing off his shoes as well. He silently padded down the long hallway, glancing in each room as he approached; he knew Sharon had left early. She had been a little under the weather all week, but typical Sharon had tried to tough it out. She never knew when to take it easy, and that seemed to be where he came in, only today it had been her commanding officer that had sent her home._

_ As he strolled down the hallway, cautiously peeking in first the living room and then kitchen, he soon saw his wife in question was nowhere to be found. He thoroughly searched the front rooms of the house before he quietly tiptoed towards the bedroom, hoping that was indeed where she was hiding. Andy sighed in relief as he heard Sharon's soft snores as he passed through the doorway, eyes coming to rest on her prone form lying on the bed._

_ It seemed to him that she had barely been able to toe off her heels and shuck her pants before landing sideways on their bed. The gigantic and lavish bed she had insisted that they needed, even though it seemed to take up three thirds of their meager master bedroom. It was her one request…who was he to begrudge her that?_

_ Andy chuckled quietly to himself as he examined her petite feet tipped with red toes, the color changed every other week. His eyes slowly began to climb up her seemingly endless legs, coming to rest on her rounded ass clad solely in black lace. The green button up blouse she was wearing gaped in the front where it had come undone exposing to him that she was in fact wearing the matching bra. She looked so peaceful that he almost felt guilty for what he was about to do next…almost._

_ Andy dropped his own shoes on the floor at the foot of the bed as he loosened his tie before lifting it over his head, he tossed it somewhere near his shoes. He crawled to lay perpendicular to his wife and traced the lines of her cheekbones with his fingertips, ghosting across her lips gently. She began to stir as his touch became more sure and concrete, he now trailed his finger down the muscles of her neck feeling them flex, dipping briefly in the valley of her breasts, only stopping because of the lace. _

_ "I'm not so sure my husband would approve of this," her husky voice drawled._

_ His head snapped up to see her blinking slowly trying to clear the sleep from her eyes, but gracing him with her trademark smirk, wrinkling her nose. He couldn't help but grin back, taking the time to slowly undo the remaining buttons on her shirt, seeing goose bumps rise on her flesh as he trailed him fingers over her ribs. His lips caressed the tops of her breasts as he spoke into the soft skin._

_ "No I don't think he would," Andy chuckled, "but he knows me so it ok…"_

_ He felt her laughter as it vibrated through her chest, tickling the sensitive flesh of his lips as he delved lower into her cleavage. Sharon rolled her shoulders slightly, encouraging to him to remove her blouse, tossing it to the floor as he went. She gently dragged his head from his position on her breasts until his mouth found her own, sharing each other's oxygen for a few seconds before connecting lips softly._

_ She wriggled until she had Andy securely on his back, her hips stretched around his and his hands anchoring her there. His hands crept around to gently cup her ass, squeezing and thrusting into her just so she knew exactly how much she wanted him. She whimpered slightly, kissing him with more enthusiasm than before, slipping the buttons on his own shirt carefully through the fragile eyelets. _

_ She was desperate to feel his skin against her own, to kiss and caress his chest as he had hers. As soon as the last button had come undone, she left his lips with a pop urging him to rise up, so she could help to rid him of his own clothes. He readily agreed and helped her to slide his shirt from his arms before being ceremoniously pushed back down to the mattress. As she began to work on his belt buckle Andy had a chance to just observe her as she worked with determination…something about her was different. _

_ He started with her face, her soft lips swollen from his kisses and then her skin flushed from his advances, the blush went as far down as the valley of her breasts…the curse of pale skin she had joked before. He also noticed that her cheeks seemed fuller, her delicate bones less prominent…not in a bad way but in a way that seemed to soften her features. He watched as his hands slowly trailed up her sides, coming to rest just on the sides of her breasts…it was then that he noticed that they were almost spilling over the cups of her bra, barely contained by the flimsy material. He continued downwards on his trek, not noticing as she paused in her ministrations, watching his face closely._

_ Andy brought his hands down to join his eyes, roaming over her hips that seemed to be rounded stretching the lace taut across her curves. His eyes came to rest on her stomach, something finally clicking in his brain. In the last week Sharon had been complaining about being tired all the time, horrific headaches that would send her to bed early, and she was constantly nauseous. He kicked himself for not realizing before, but he couldn't for the life of him pry his eyes away from the now noticeable swell that her belly had,_

_ Sharon smiled gently as she watched him draw his own conclusions, she had only found out this afternoon, Before her CO had sent her home she had called and made an appointment with her general care physician, hoping that she would see her as soon as possible. It just so happened that she had and cancellation and could see Sharon within the hour. Needless to say that after some tests and congratulations she had been pleasantly surprised._

_ She brought her hand up to the side of his face, stroking his temple to gain his attention. He finally looked up to connect with her eyes, shinning brightly with the same unshed tears that hers held. Sharon gently grasped his hand that was stationed on her left hip and brought it down slightly, pressing it firmly into her abdomen, her eyes never leaving his. Andy's eyes widened in wonder as he applied gentle pressure so he could feel what she insisted; it was hard like the side of a ball and not so big yet, but it was definitely there._

_ He sat up quickly careful to support her back as his lips latched onto the velvet soft skin of her tummy, the same tummy that currently housed his child, providing everything the growing life would need. He drew her closer to him as he looked up; she offered a watery chuckle as she softly caressed his hair, all her love openly on display._

* * *

Sharon sighed as she remembered the sweet memory; things seemed to just fall into place after that. Within a month the realtor had a listing that was just perfect and they had made an offer without hesitation; the house was perfect and it was theirs…even twenty years later. It had seen a lot in the intervening years, it had always offered Sharon some sort of solace, but lately that feeling had been missing.

She was just about to get up and head into the house; it seemed to have gotten cooler, when she heard the sliding glass door open carefully. Sharon froze and tried to keep utterly still, she could tell by the even tread on the wooden deck that it was Avery; her steps were always sure and measured. She looked over her shoulder slightly so she could examine her youngest child…to see what type of a mood she was going to deal with.

The girl silently plodded to stand next to her mother, Sharon glancing at her out of the corner of her eye, watching as she gripped the sweater tightly around her shoulders. She noticed Avery was wearing her go to grey sweatshirt, so worn it was almost threadbare, and green pajamas bottoms for comfort. Her hair was wet and up in a bun, her face freshly scrubbed as if she had just gotten out of the shower. She hadn't spoken yet but the older woman could almost sense what she needed or what she seemed to be asking for without actually asking.

Sharon slowly moved her feet to the right side of the deck chair, creating just enough space for her daughter to perch on the edge. Avery spared a quick glance in her mother's direction, acknowledging the movement, contemplating it almost. Then without so much as a prompt, she gracelessly sat down in the spot Sharon had vacated, leaning back so as to come into bodily contact with her mother. The older brunette scooted a little farther over so the younger one could lean back comfortably, her head resting in the crook of her mother's shoulder. Sharon inhaled the sweet scent of the girl's shampoo wafting off her, her own arms coming up to gently wrap around her daughter's chest.

For a while they sat in companionable silence, their chests moving together as they inhaled and exhaled. Sharon felt Avery gently grip her hands and draw them closer, tighter to her chest…and soon she felt tears falling onto them. She could feel the exertion from her daughter's sobs rather than hearing them, she was so distraught and it broke her heart.

She turned her head slightly, burying her nose into Avery's damp hair, stifling her own tears and trying to be strong. She could sense her daughter's turmoil and could only help her in one way.

"I'm sorry Baby," Sharon whispered brokenly.

The younger woman sniffled slightly trying to control her tears, wiping fiercely at them before she spoke in her soft, lilting voice.

"I know Mama…I know."

It was with that confession that the older woman knew they would all be all right, she was perhaps on the road to being forgiven. She didn't seem to like the situation, but maybe, just maybe Avery had come to terms with it and was willing to wait it out, see what the future would hold. They were all hurting but they were a family and they all needed each other, they had a right to be upset as long as they always came back together in the end.

Sharon drew in a shuddering breath as she placed a gentle kiss on top of her daughter's head, stroking the hair of her temple soothingly.

"I love you, all the way to the moon and back," she declared.

She could feel Avery smile softly, that had been a saying that her mother had used with her and her sister since they were very little. No matter how mad they were with each other, that one phrase would always ring true. She never doubted her mother loved her, that wasn't even a question, but her own feelings had been the problem. Her inability to deal with them or to ask for help.

She turned in the chair, untangling her self from Sharon's arms, and faced her mother. The older woman gently reached out to draw Avery's forehead to rest on her own, smiles mirroring that of the other, nuzzling her nose softly. Sharon reached up to swipe away the remaining tears on the younger brunette's cheeks, stroking them softly.

The young woman giggled slightly, "Love you too Mama."

After a while they parted reluctantly, both realizing how chilly it had become, shivering from the slight breeze. They rose from the chair, heading toward the door to the house, hands clasped tightly together.

"Will you braid my hair," Avery asked hesitantly.

Sharon smiled gently, "Of course."

Just as they were about to cross the threshold, a gently throat clearing caught the older woman's attention. Startled, Sharon whipped her head around quickly, her eyes coming to rest on those of a certain brown she had missed desperately. Standing on the grass at the end of the deck, looking a little worse for wear, was Andy. He wasn't looking her directly in the eyes, more fascinated with his shoes as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, a nervous habit he had picked up from her. Sharon felt Avery let go of her hand and she glanced behind her at the door shutting softly, her daughter retreating and leaving her alone with her husband.

She slowly walked barefoot across the deck, coming to rest just at the edge of the deck, the elevated surface raising her up so she was almost the same height as Andy. She mirrored his stance by placing her hands in the front pockets of her own jeans, cocking her head slightly in question.

Her toes came into his line of sight first, the deep purple a stark contrast to that of her pale skin. His eyes slowly wandered upward, over the legs he adored…the hips he longed to touch…the chest on which he counted freckles…the neck where her pulse fluttered…until her finally reached her face. Her green eyes stared back at him expectantly from behind her glasses, the dark curls he loved to run his hands through framing her face.

She inspected him closely…taking in every nuance of the face she had missed so dearly. Sharon could see the anguish in his eyes; the same dark circles that were underneath his were under hers as well. He looked like he hadn't shaved in a while the shadow looking out of place on his cheeks and chin; she knew he normally had a hard time sleeping, she could only imagine what he had gone through recently. She felt her own lips begin to quiver as his eyes connected with hers.

He brought out a hesitant hand to grasp her chin, watching as her eyes flooded with tears while he coaxed her forward, hearing her sharp intake of breath. Her eyes slipped shut tears spilling over her cheekbones as he brought her lips to his, barely touching.

"I'm sorry Sharon," he whispered desolately as he inhaled, "…so sorry Babe."

That was enough for Sharon and she felt immediate relief settle over her, her soul seeming to calm instantly. It didn't matter what had happened or what they each had done, it was all in the past and all that mattered was that he was here now and willing…no wanting to try. That was all Sharon needed to know.

He gently swiped his fingers under the lenses of her glasses to clear away the tears. She stepped back as she drew him up onto the deck with her, her arms drawing up his chest and around his neck slowly. She looked into his eyes as she brought his head closer to her, quietly whispering.

"Its ok Andy," She drew in a trembling breath, "you were hurt…I understand."

He leant his forehead on hers, their eyes still connected in an intense stare.

She continued softly, "I never should have asked you to leave…I just…never again, I will never ask you to leave again."

She sealed the vow with a kiss as she closed the gap between their lips. Sharon sighed contently as she felt strong arms wrap around her middle, cupping her hips and drawing her closer to his chest. Andy ran his hands soothingly up her back, touching the warm skin that lay beneath her sweatshirt, both groaning at the feeling of soft skin.

When the need for air arose, they pulled away gently, Andy placed his face in the crook of Sharon's neck, inhaling the sweet smell that was uniquely her, the smell that had a calming effect on him. She ran her hands lightly through the soft hair at the nape of his neck, relishing in their closeness.

Everything was far from perfect…there were so many things they still had to work out, but for they time being they were content. Things would get better and they would be come stronger as a couple, a family, for it. They would get through this part in their lives; they loved each other too much to give up now.


End file.
